The Dynamic Endothelial Activation and Stress Index (EASIX) as a Predictor of Early Death and Long-Term Survival in Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL): A Multicenter Study
<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Early death (ED) remains the primary barrier to long-term survival in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Since current risk stratification models rely solely on static baseline parameters, they fail to capture the high biological volatility during the induction phase. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of the dynamic evolution of the endothelial activation and stress index (EASIX). <b>Materials and Methods:</b> This multicenter, retrospective study analyzed 131 newly diagnosed adult APL patients treated with the AIDA protocol. EASIX scores were calculated at admission (D0) and day 7 (D7). ROC, landmark, multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the impact of dynamic endothelial changes (ΔEASIX) on mortality and survival. <b>Results:</b> The ED rate was 25.2%. While baseline EASIX successfully predicted very early death (<7 days), dynamic assessment provided superior risk stratification. Worsening endothelial status (ΔEASIX > 0.35) was an independent predictor of early mortality (OR: 12.41, <i>p</i> = 0.007), inferior EFS (HR: 5.70, <i>p</i> = 0.004), and poor OS (HR: 3.69, <i>p</i> = 0.023). Landmark analysis stratified by the kinetic trajectory of ∆EASIX confirmed that patients above the optimal cut-off had significantly inferior 3-year EFS (56.3% vs. 77.8%, <i>p</i> = 0.041) and OS (59.5% vs. 78.0%, <i>p</i> = 0.026). <b>Conclusions:</b> To our knowledge, this is the first study to establish EASIX as a dynamic prognostic marker in APL. Our findings indicate that the "kinetic trajectory" of endothelial stress is a more accurate predictor of survival than static baseline assessment alone. While dynamic EASIX monitoring offers a valuable tool for real-time risk reclassification, these results require validation through prospective studies.
Authors
- Tuba Güllü Koca (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4168-2821)
- Hikmet Öztop (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0199-3791)
- Mehmet Baysal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7681-4623)
- Vildan Gürsoy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3645-9345)
- Tuba Ersal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5419-3221)
- Fazıl Çağrı Hunutlu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4991-9830)
- İbrahim Ethem Pınar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9907-1498)
- İlknur Sürücü Kara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7842-9278)
- Yusuf Bilen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9043-4467)
- Şüheda Çakmak (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2673-8241)
- Ahmet Mert Yanık (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1908-0149)
- Vildan Özkocaman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0014-7398)
- Emre Akar
- Oğuzhan Sertkaya
- Seval Akpınar
- Fahir Özkalemkaş
- Nevriye Gül Ada Tak
- Saide Elif Güllülü Boz
Institutions
- Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University (TR)
- Bursa Uludağ Üni̇versi̇tesi̇ (TR)
- Bursa Technical University (TR)
- Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi (TR)
- S.B.Ü. Bursa Yüksek İhtisas Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi (TR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Cancers
- Published
- 2026-03-05
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18050843
- Primary Topic
- Retinoids in leukemia and cellular processes
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi